HR Shared Services Specialist - Watu

Our Purpose:

At Watu, we empower entrepreneurs. WATU is a mission-driven, customer-centric company that believes that every entrepreneur deserves an opportunity to start, grow and achieve their goals in life. As Africa’s fastest-growing Asset Finance company, we see the continent’s bright and prosperous future and want to be part of the team transforming it into reality. We, therefore, have a commitment to Empower Entrepreneurs by providing the means needed to move and improve in their lives.

Job Summary:

The HR Shared Services Specialist is the operational backbone of Watu's HR systems function. This role is responsible for the accurate and timely execution of all employee lifecycle administrative transactions across HiBob and other HRIS platforms - including but not limited to execution of new hires, transfers, promotions, contractual term changes, terminations, and relevant documentation and system data updates.

Operating as part of Watu's HR Shared Services function, this role ensures that all job related data is processed with precision, accuracy, within defined SLAs, and in full compliance with global HR standards and local regulatory requirements. The HR Shared Services Specialist acts as the first line of data execution - enabling HR Business Partners, regional HR teams, payroll, and leadership to rely on a single, accurate source of truth for all workforce data.

Key Responsibilities:

Employee Lifecycle Transaction Processing

• Execute all HR transactions in HiBob and relevant HRIS platforms, including: new hires, onboarding setup, contract changes, salary updates, promotions, lateral transfers, role changes, reporting line changes, relocation, acting appointments, terminations, etc.
• Ensure all transactions are processed accurately, completely, and within defined SLA timelines
• Initiate and manage HiBob workflow flows for each transaction type, following the correct decision logic as per defined SOPs and approval chains
• Coordinate with HR Business Partners and local HR teams to collect required data, approvals and documentation before processing
• Trigger e-signature templates via HiBob for employment contracts, contract variations, and lifecycle documents
• Process self-service corrections and data amendments as escalated by HR teams or employees

Data Accuracy & Quality Control

• Maintain 99%+ data accuracy across all employee records in HiBob at all times
• Conduct regular self-checks and cross-verifications before and after each transaction
• Participate in scheduled global and regional data audits - identify and remediate errors or gaps
• Flag data inconsistencies, missing fields, or compliance risks to the HR Systems Manager promptly
• Ensure all employee data reflects the current employment reality - no outdated records, duplicate entries, or incomplete profiles

Data Coordination

• Ensure all changes, compensation changes, new hires, and terminations are processed in HiBob ahead of payroll cut-off deadlines
• Maintain clear records of all HRIS changes for audit purposes

Workflow & Process Execution

• Follow Watu's standardized HRIS workflows and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and Policies for every transaction type
• Apply the correct HiBob flow for each scenario using the decision logic framework
• Ensure approval chains are completed in the correct sequence
• Monitor open workflows and follow up on pending approvals to prevent processing delays

SLA Management & Operational Reporting

• Track and manage all open HR transactions against defined SLAs
• Report on transaction volumes, SLA adherence, and processing status to the HR Systems Manager on a regular basis
• Identify and escalate bottlenecks or recurring delays in transaction processing
• Contribute to the team's shared service performance dashboard

HR Team Support & Compliance

• Serve as the first point of contact for regional HR teams on HRIS transaction queries and data corrections
• Escalate unsolved queries as per defined SOP and escalation guidelines
• Guide HR users through correct submission procedures and required documentation for each transaction type
• Ensure all transactions comply with Watu's global governance framework, data privacy policies, and local labour regulations
• Support compliance audits by providing accurate transaction records and system data
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of HiBob features, updates, and workflow configurations relevant to the role

Requirements

Education & Certification

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field

Experience

• 2+ years of experience in an HR operations, HR administration, or HRIS data entry role
• Hands-on experience processing HR transactions in an HRIS platform (HiBob strongly preferred; equivalent systems considered)
• Experience working with multi-country or multinational HR teams
• Familiarity with employee lifecycle processes: onboarding, contract changes, transfers, promotions, offboarding
• Exposure to payroll coordination and compensation data handling

Key Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional attention to detail - zero tolerance for inaccurate or incomplete data
• Strong process discipline and ability to follow SOPs consistently
• Ability to manage high volumes of transactions accurately under time pressure
• Clear and professional communication with HR colleagues and business stakeholders
• Proactive in flagging issues and following up on pending items
• Comfortable working independently in a remote, multi-time-zone environment
• High integrity and discretion when handling confidential employee data

KPIs

Transaction Processing

• Transactions processed within SLA: ≥ 95%
• Data accuracy rate across all employee records: 99%
• Payroll-impacting transactions submitted before cut-off: 100%
• Zero unresolved transaction errors at month-end: 100%

Data Quality & Compliance

• Scheduled data audits completed on time: 100%
• Compliance with global governance framework: 100%
• Records with missing or incorrect data fields: < 1%
• Errors identified in self-check before processing: ≥ 95% caught before submission

Workflow & SLA Management

• Open workflows resolved within SLA: ≥ 95%
• Pending approvals, e-sign request followed up within 24 hours: 100%
• HR team queries resolved without escalation: ≥ 90%
• HR team satisfaction with transaction support: ≥ 85% positive feedback